Tuesday, September 14, 2010

"Alleged" Hardware?

Suspected U.S. drones kill 13 in Pakistan
Islamabad, Pakistan (CNN) -- Two suspected U.S. drone strikes killed 13 alleged militants in Pakistan's tribal region Tuesday, intelligence officials said.

The first strike killed nine people. Two intelligence officials said three missiles were fired Tuesday morning on the suspected hideout of militants in the Shawal area of North Waziristan, one of seven districts in Pakistan's tribal region bordering Afghanistan.

It's only a "suspected" drone. Had it been an actual drone, it might have done some damage. Even if you take "suspected" at US, it's pretty damn flimsy - how many other countries are flying unmanned, armed drones around the tribal areas of Pakistan? C'mon. Man up.

Because "US Drone Blows the Fuck Out of Terrorist Asshole" is a great headline.

That is all.

6 comments:

Robb Allen said...

I like Ace's headline shtick like 9 insurgents killed by tainted Taco Bell Chalupas and Unmanned Drone attacks, but mostly Unmanned Drone attacks,

bluesun said...

Ah, c'mon. "Innocent until proven guilty" applies to drones, too!

ASM826 said...

Drones don't kill anything. They are just tools.

How about, "Air Force Captain Blows The Fuck Out Of Terrorist Pakistani Assholes From His Base In Kansas, Then Goes To Lunch".

I like it, it's more personal. Makes it feel more like we are actually at war.

Eric R. Shelton said...

Of course I'd have to come along and point out that a UAV isn't a drone... But that's just 'cause our pilots get their feelings hurt.

My guess for why this is phrased the way it is would be because we're not flying any military operations in Pakistan. Our military UAV operations are strictly in OEF and OIF (now OND).

Old NFO said...

Actually he was sitting at (location) drinking a coke, THEN he went to lunch, and he may or may not have been an Air Force pilot in a previous life... :-)

TOTWTYTR said...

It's all part of plausible deniability. Everyone knows it was a drone, it's just that no one will say it was a drone.

Or UAV if you want to keep ASM826 happy. :)

Although General Patton might not have approved I think it's much better if we can have our valuable military personnel sit in comfort and reach out and touch the enemy in a very real, and lethal way.